Overview:

This Izzet spellslinger deck leverages Vivi Ornitier as a synergistic engine and win condition. The core strategy revolves around casting numerous noncreature spells to rapidly scale Vivi's power (via +1/+1 counters), enabling explosive mana generation from its ability while simultaneously dealing incremental damage to opponents. Key creatures like Harmonic Prodigy, Veyran, Voice of Duality, and Ghyrson Starn, Kelermorph amplify these triggers, transforming spell casts into significant damage sources. Primary win conditions include storming off with Grapeshot, leveraging infinite mana/spell loops with Dramatic Reversal + Isochron Scepter, or activating Aetherflux Reservoir. Vivi acts as the linchpin, accelerating mana for critical turns and enabling damage-based victory without combat.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3): Deploy mana rocks (Sol Ring, Izzet Signet, Lotus Petal) or cost reducers (Goblin Electromancer, Stormcatch Mentor, Ruby Medallion). Cast cheap cantrips (Opt, Consider, Gitaxian Probe) to trigger Vivi's counter ability early. Prioritize protecting Vivi with Lightning Greaves or Swiftfoot Boots.
2. Engine Assembly (Turns 3-5): Cast Vivi Ornitier ASAP. Deploy amplification pieces: Harmonic Prodigy (doubles Vivi's triggers), Veyran, Voice of Duality (doubles permanents' triggers), Ghyrson Starn, Kelermorph (amplifies 1-damage pings), or Fiery Inscription. Use card draw (Expressive Iteration, Frantic Search, Jeska's Will) to maintain momentum.
3. Combo/Storm Turns (Turns 4-7):
   • Infinite Mana/Spells: Assemble Isochron Scepter imprinted with Dramatic Reversal alongside sufficient nonland mana sources (3+). Generate infinite mana, cast infinite spells, winning via Vivi pings, Grapeshot, or Aetherflux Reservoir.
   • Storm: Chain cheap/free spells (Gitaxian Probe, Lotus Petal, Mishra's Bauble) and rituals (Seething Song, Jeska's Will) to build a high storm count. Win with Grapeshot or Reservoir activation. Thousand-Year Storm exponentially increases damage output.
   • Commander Damage: Use Vivi's scaling power and evasion (Rogue's Passage via Lindblum) for commander damage kills, amplified by Ghyrson Starn.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Essential: 2-3 lands (UR sources), 1-2 early mana accelerants (rock or reducer), and at least 1 cheap cantrip or spell to trigger Vivi.
• Strong Keeps: Hands containing Vivi + protection (Greaves/Boots) or a key amplifier (Harmonic Prodigy, Veyran). Include interaction (Counterspell, An Offer You Can't Refuse) if facing disruptive pods.
• Avoid: Hands lacking early mana, Vivi, or spells to trigger it. Hands overloaded with high-CMC cards without setup.

Key Tips:

• Protect Critical Engines: Vivi, Harmonic Prodigy, and Veyran are priority targets. Use Slip Out the Back for phased protection or Riptide Laboratory to bounce Wizards. Mithril Coat provides indestructible.
• Sequence Triggers: Cast noncreature spells before combat if using Vivi for mana. Order spell casts to maximize Ghyrson Starn/Fiery Inscription damage before Grapeshot storm copies.
• Leverage Mana Explosively: Use Vivi's generated mana immediately for high-impact spells like Mizzix's Mastery to recur a graveyard full of spells or Cyclonic Rift to clear the way.
• Draw Engine Synergy: Curiosity or Ophidian Eye on Vivi/Ghyrson Starn draws cards per damage trigger. Archmage of Runes draws on every instant/sorcery cast.
• Recursion: Use Mystic Sanctuary to rebuy key interaction or combo pieces. Mizzix's Mastery enables massive graveyard turns.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Rule of Law Effects: Eidolon of Rhetoric, Deafening Silence, or Archon of Emeria cripple the deck's ability to chain spells, shutting down storm and combo lines.
• Commander Reliance: Vivi is essential for mana acceleration and damage scaling. Repeated removal forces costly recasts, severely slowing the deck. Lack of haste enablers beyond Greaves/Boots exacerbates this.
• Anti-Damage Triggers: Torpor Orb/Hushbringer nullify Vivi, Guttersnipe, Fiery Inscription, and Ghyrson Starn triggers. The Wanderer prevents noncombat damage to opponents.

Moderate

• Graveyard Hate: Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void disrupts Mizzix's Mastery, Mystic Sanctuary, and Frantic Search/Faithless Looting recursion.
• Fast Aggro: Struggles against decks applying early creature pressure, as setup turns are vulnerable. Limited blockers make stabilizing difficult without a timely Blasphemous Act.
• Stack Interaction Overload: Heavy countermagic or discard can disrupt critical combo assembly turns before protection is established.

Minor

• Artifact/Enchantment Focused Removal: Targeted removal hitting cost reducers (Medallions) or engines (Reservoir, Scepter) can delay wins but is less crippling than stax.
• Life Gain Strategies: Significant life gain can outpace incremental damage, forcing reliance on combos or Reservoir.

Most Important Cards:

• Harmonic Prodigy (Doubles Vivi's damage/mana triggers and other Wizard/Shaman abilities)
• Veyran, Voice of Duality (Doubles all permanent-based triggers, amplifying damage and value)
• Isochron Scepter (Core combo piece enabling infinite spells with Dramatic Reversal)
• Dramatic Reversal (Combo piece enabling infinite untaps with Scepter)
• Ghyrson Starn, Kelermorph (Amplifies all 1-damage pings into lethal threats)
• Aetherflux Reservoir (Primary life-based win condition enabled by storm)
• Grapeshot (Primary storm win condition)
• Jeska's Will (Explosive ramp and card advantage, synergizing with Vivi's scaling)
• Fiery Inscription (Significant passive damage source per spell cast)
• Mizzix's Mastery (Recurs key spells from graveyard for massive storm turns)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 8/10

• Capable of T4-5 wins via Dramatic Scepter combo or explosive storm turns fueled by Vivi's mana and rituals. Consistent T6-7 win pressure.

Resilience: 5/10

• Moderate protection (Greaves, Boots, Slip Out) and recursion (Mystic Sanctuary, Mizzix's Mastery), but heavily reliant on Vivi and vulnerable to targeted removal/stax. Recovers poorly from repeated commander tax or Rule of Law effects.

Consistency: 7/10

• Strong card draw (Archmage of Runes, Expressive Iteration, Curiosity effects) and rituals ensure gas, but lacks tutors for specific combo pieces (Scepter, Reversal), relying on draw density.

Interaction: 6/10

• Efficient counterspells (Fierce Guardianship, Swan Song, An Offer You Can't Refuse) and targeted removal (Lightning Bolt, Pongify, Flame of Anor). Limited ability to handle resolved enchantments/artifacts outside Vandalblast/Chaos Warp.

Rating Justification:

This deck achieves high-speed T4-5 wins through potent combos and storm synergies, aligning with the Focused Competitive tier (T5-6 win/lock). However, its critical vulnerability to commander removal and Rule of Law effects, coupled with moderate resilience and interaction, prevents it from reaching higher optimization tiers. The rating reflects its explosive ceiling tempered by fragility.

Power level: 7.0 - 7.5